Police Officer Involved Domestic Violence.
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Wednesday, December 3, 2008

NYPD slayer of NYPD Sonia Garcia pleads guilty to a lesser charge

...[NYPD Police Officer Sonia] Garcia's relatives lunged at her killer in open court Wednesday after the judge accepted the plea bargain... Although Garcia's relatives believe that she was murdered in cold blood, after what had been an on-going domestic dispute, prosecutors said that the grand jury's indictment made that allegation impossible to prosecute... In court, Chapparo admitted sleeping with the gun under his pillow and he admitted firing it. But he claimed he was shooting at "a shadow," suggesting he believed he was shooting an intruder. He was forced to admit, however, that he knew his fiancee was expected to arrive home at about that time... Outside court Wednesday, Garcia's sister, Evelyn Hernandez, 26, of Park Slope in Brooklyn, said she now believed Garcia was killed for discovering [NYPD Alexis] Chaparro in the midst of a homosexual love affair...

NYPD COP FROM BAY SHORE PLEADS GUILTY IN FIANCEE'S SHOOTING DEATHNewsdayBy Erik German erik.german@newsday.comDecember 3, 2008Outraged shouts echoed in a Riverhead courtroom Wednesday after a New York City Police Academy instructor pleaded guilty to killing his fiancee in a deal that will send him to prison for 10 years. Alexis Chaparro, 28, had initially been charged with second-degree murder after police found Sonia Garcia, 27, also a New York Police Department officer, shot to death in the bedroom of their Bay Shore home last year. The maximum penalty for second-degree murder is 25 years to life in prison. Chaparro pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. Members of Garcia's family reacted angrily to what they called a lenient sentence, some weeping audibly in court, others shaking their heads or clutching their hair. At one point, the victim's brother Ramon Hernandez, 32, shouted expletives and lunged at Chaparro until a scrum of family members and court officers hustled him out the door. This came shortly after Chaparro admitted that after being roused from sleep on the fatal night, he pulled his service pistol from beneath his pillow and fired it. "What did you fire it at?" Assistant District Attorney Janet Albertson asked him. "A shadow," Chaparro said. Albertson then asked if he discovered that he'd just shot his fiancee. "Yes," Chaparro murmured. Outside court, Garcia's sister, Evelyn Hernandez, 26, of Park Slope, said Chaparro "basically got away with murder." Hernandez said she now believes Chaparro killed Garcia because she discovered he was in the midst of a homosexual love affair. "My sister walked in on him with another man," Hernandez said. "That's why she's dead"... [Full article here]

NYPD COP ADMITS KILLING FIANCEEWABCNJ Burkett, Eyewitness NewsDecember 03, 2008[Excerpts] NEW YORK (WABC) -- A New York City police instructor has admitted he shot and killed his fiancee, also an NYPD officer, inside their Long Island home in September 2007. Alexis Chaparro pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter Wednesday in the death of Officer Sonia Garcia in state Supreme Court in Riverhead. Chapparo pleaded guilty after the prosecution agreed to drop its charge of second-degree depraved indifference murder. Prosecutor Janet Albertson said recent appeals court decisions have made it difficult to convict suspects in one-on-one shootings like the killing of Garcia, so the decision was made to accept a plea deal to ensure Chaparro spends a "substantial prison sentence"... Garcia's relatives lunged at her killer in open court Wednesday after the judge accepted the plea bargain. The charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. But inmates are usually released after serving two-thirds of their sentences, and because he has already been in custody for a year, he is likely to be released within just six years. The circumstances are complicated, but Garcia was killed with a single shot to the chest from Chapparo's service weapon at about 6 a.m. in September of last year. She had just arrived home from her job at the 77th Precinct. In court, Chapparo admitted sleeping with the gun under his pillow and he admitted firing it. But he claimed he was shooting at "a shadow," suggesting he believed he was shooting an intruder. He was forced to admit, however, that he knew his fiancee was expected to arrive home at about that time. Although Garcia's relatives believe that she was murdered in cold blood, after what had been an on-going domestic dispute, prosecutors said that the grand jury's indictment made that allegation impossible to prosecute. The grand jury indicted Chapparo on a single count of depraved indifference murder, and not intentional murder. For a variety of complex legal reasons, the allegation as charged in the indictment would have been extremely difficult to prove at trial... Chaparro is to be sentenced in January. [Full article here]

NYPD COP PLEADS GUILTY IN FIANCEE'S FATAL SHOOTINGBay Shore victim was also a police officer and mom of 2NewsdayBy Erik German - erik.german@newsday.comDecember 3, 2008[Excerpts] The New York City police academy instructor accused of fatally shooting his fiancee pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in exchange for a 10-year prison sentence at a Riverhead court appearance Wednesday. Suffolk County Court Judge C. Randall Hinrichs ordered him held without bail... When police questioned Chaparro, he first said he had not fired the pistol, which he kept under his pillow, then said he did not remember firing it... Outside court Wednesday, Garcia's sister, Evelyn Hernandez, 26, of Park Slope in Brooklyn, said she now believed Garcia was killed for discovering Chaparro in the midst of a homosexual love affair. "My sister walked in on him with another man and that's why she's dead," Hernandez said. Assistant District Attorney Janet Albertson said police found no evidence of an affair. "After three months of investigation, there is no evidence to support that scenario," she said... Albertson called the plea deal the best the district attorney's office could get considering the difficulty of proving a depraved indifference murder given the case's circumstances. But, she acknowledged "both sides gave up something to get something." [Full article here]

COP EXPECTED TO GET 10 YEARS IN FIANCEE'S DEATHNewsdayBy Ann Givens - ann.givens@newsday.comDecember 3, 2008[Excerpts] ...Prosecutors said Chaparro shot his fiancee, Sonia Garcia, 28, a mother of two girls from a previous relationship and a four-year veteran of the New York Police Department, in the chest on Sept. 29, 2007, in Bay Shore. He then called 911 and told police that he had heard a shot and found her dead. "She's shot, she's bleeding. Oh my God! Jesus!" said Chaparro on a 911 tape played in court hearings earlier this year. "I'm trying to do CPR, I'm pumping her chest ...Just get over here, please!" When police questioned Chaparro, he first said he had not fired his service pistol, then said he did not remember firing it, a detective said in court during hearings in the case. Also, police found only 15 rounds in Chaparro's Smith & Wesson service pistol, not the 16 rounds he insisted were there. Chaparro said he hadn't shot Garcia, while still saying he and Garcia were alone in the house, detectives said... Garcia's family has insisted that Chaparro was abusive and the likely killer. Attempts to reach her family for comment last night were unsuccessful... [Full article here]POLICE OFFICER INVOLVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MURDER COP ON COP

I just had got out of the Army and moved to NYC when this beautiful lady was slain by that low life. May GOD bring real justice to Sonia and her family. I still have faith that once he gets out of jail, God has a nice surprise waiting for that killer. To Sonia family, Im really sorry for your loss and God bless you all.

I am from NY and I cannot believe that they accepted, no offered, a 10 deal for what seems to have been an intentional murder of Sonia by this thing (me being respectful). What truly saddens me is that it is getting closer to it's release date and he will get to live on. It is so unfair, to even think where she could be now. Bless the entire family and I hope your strength continues on. And to her daughters, all these years I hope you have always felt her love.